Metro Extending Fare Card Sales Hours

The Inauguration fare cards are very popular. When I came in on the Green Line today from Greenbelt, there were lines at every vending machine. Metro also had plenty of station agents on the scene to help people figure out how to buy them, which was good to see.

In response to the demand, Metro has extended the hours for the Metro Center and Pentagon Sales Offices through the Inauguration on Tuesday.

This isn't just good for Metro's revenue and for souvenir seekers after the Obama paper Farecards and plastic SmarTrip cards. It's also going to help us all during the crush on Tuesday when so many people are trying to get through the rail fare gates and aboard the buses.

The sales office in the Metro Center Station will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today and Sunday. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The sales office at the Pentagon Transit Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

Other Metro sales offices are closed through Tuesday. They willl resume normal hours on Wednesday.

The commemorative Farecards have temporarily replaced the regular Farecards in the vending machines at stations. But the $10 and $20 commemorative SmarTrip cards aren't on sale at the stations. They can be purchased online and at the Metro sales offices. (Note that if you buy them online, you won't get them in time for the inauguration. But they'll still be usable after Tuesday.)

There's other stuff, too. Metro's commemorative Metrorail one-day pass with a special Inauguration design is being sold for $7.80 at the sales offices and fare vending machines, but the price for that will go up to $10 on Tuesday. Metro also will be selling a one-day bus pass for $5 on Tuesday. Buy that from the drivers.